Ahhhh...I think I'm changing my name to Fertile Myrtle!! AF came back with a vengence when DS was only 3 months old and I'm a BF'ing fool!!

Oh well, that being said, DS is now 10 months old and still waking to nurse one or two times a night. I went through a stage where I was determined to night wean him, but the screaming and the tears (from myself, DH, DS, and DD) made me rethink the plan. I believe it lasted a total of two nights Anywho, do what you feel is right and forget the rest....babies won't overeat (and when they do, it comes back out...filled to overflowing as my mom always says) but they do get good and mad if they are hungry and no one feeds'em. Go figure...so do I

MY DS is 10 months old and still wakes up 2-3 times during the night. What I try to do is remind myself that babies grow up so fast and that I should treasure every moment with my baby ... even those late night feedings.
They just grow up so fast!

first, the doc is assuming that night nursing is mostly about hunger, but she's quite wrong.

Night waking needing a parent's attention to get back to sleep is not all about hunger, it's also because the sleep mechanisms of the central nervous system aren't mature - that takes several years. Until then, the child is going to need some help to get back to sleep after a nightwaking and that's just as important as the milk. That's what's going on when he has those short sessions vs. the long ones where you can tell he's really taking a meal, not just soothing back to sleep. Trying to go against the biology of the nervous system by taking away the help he needs would be very stressful and counterproductive. He needs you to get back to sleep, you have the best tool ever to do the job, it's that way for a reason. Check out info from the leading expert on safe infant sleep patterns:

Second, the doc is assuming a 4 month old only gets hungry once at night? Maybe some rare ones but none of my three. In fact, I have found that my babies get hungry at least once during the night til pretty close or after their second birthday. Add to that the fact I myself get hungry at night, and I can't see the logic in assuming someone with a stomach the size of a walnut can go longer than me!

Third, the doc is assuming the night nursings are all a problem for you, and have no benefit. That's not right either. Nursing during the night is the most suportive of all for your milk supply because the milk production hormones are highest then.
Also, night nursing can for a lot of moms help keep AF from returning. When a baby starts going longer between feedings at night, AF will often return soon after that. Delay of the return of menstruation is one aspect of breastfeeding that helps reduce the risk of breast cancer.

Thank you all so much! I am so glad to hear that I can just keep doing as we're doing...I really appreciate all your thoughts. I agree, I thought 4.5 months was too soon to go without a night feeding, I am glad to hear this reinforced Thanks again for the support!!